Burleigh would be proud!!! Cheap factor way up!!!

[Toecutter]

While pushing 50 is still better than pulling it, it does come with its share of deficiencies and disappointments. In this case, my problem is needing to wear glasses to read. Distance vision is good, so bifocals are unnecessary, and a hindrance when driving or riding. I've been struggling with this issue for quite some time, more so since I added the GPS to my farsenal (newly coined word for farkle arsenal).

Well, the other day it finally dawned on me how to solve my dilemma! Epiphanies can sometimes be so wonderful!

I went out shopping for just the right raw materials, which I (not-surprisingly) found at my local Costco. Pictured below are the perfect model for my application, as the frame configuration and lens size/shape work out just right with my helmet (Fulmer AFD-4) YMMV

After some stripping of the unnecessary temple arms, I scrounged up some velcro, and attached the frame/lens part to the nose cone inside my helmet, as pictured below:

This gives me great vision of my instruments, and is out of my normal sight line for "eyes up" riding, while still allowing me to wear my eye protection, pictured below (Oakley M-Frames w/ grey Heater lens in the daytime, high-intensity yellow otherwise), to keep the specs away from my baby blues in case the sky falls. They're easily removed for occasional cleaning, and I have two backup pairs in case they ever get damaged or stolen, all for about 20 bucks!

OLD GUYS RULE!!!

 

[Silent]

Hans would be proud indeed! Nice one Toe! :clapping:

 

[Old Michael]

OLD GUYS RULE!!!

Don't get a big head, but you may have changed my life. A map in a tank bag has always just been an impressionist image- until I could stop, take off the gloves, take off the helmet, dig out the glasses, ....

I had actually looked for bifocal Shoei shields.

Someday, I'll be old. I'm gonna try this.

 

[madmike2]

While not quite as el cheapo, I use thesebifocal/reading safety glasses. TurboDave showed me his on our Peak-To-Peak ride to WFO4.

I usually carry a pair of sunglasses and a pair of clear glasses (for night riding). That way my eyes are protected when I have my face shield partially open for Summer riding.

Uh...Bob...welcome to this "stage of maturity".

 

[twowheelnut]

*snerk* I'm...

...at...

...a...

...loss...

...for words.

*snerk*, again.

 

[madmike2]

*snerk* I'm...
...at...

...a...

...loss...

...for words.

*snerk*, again.

"He said!", as he typed 9 words. Timmy, we KNOW you are never at a loss for words. Terse, short, abbreviated, "signage"....but never at a LOSS! :lol:

 

[TestPilot]

......... more so since I added the GPS to my farsenal (newly coined word for farkle arsenal).

I think the word you are looking for is "Farkenal" - juts say it out loud, you'll soon get it

 

[Mooseonagoose]

Toe, That's pretty ingenious, I like it! Having had bifocals [& been driven nuts by them] for quite a spell now I can appreciate your creativity! I've been lucky thus far, the reading portion of my lense has been nothing more than an absense of my distance prescription, I can still still read w/o correction, but not thru my distance Rx [...tho not for too much longer I'll bet]. On my previous job much of my work was done visually at/just past an arms length, so they were the only solution. Away from work tho I rarely wore them prefering to just wear standard lenses & remove them for close-up stuff. Driving/riding was when they'd make me the most crazy [reflections, etc.], so the last time I renewed my Rx I had the optician put the bifocal substantially lower on the lense, he fought me on the idea, saying I wouldn't like it, ...but hey, my $/my option. The last time I was in to see him, he smugly asked if I hadn't found out he was right after-all, to which I replied nope, & that next time they'll be even farther down! Which they will!

 

[2WheelTiger]

Toe, I hate to be the nay-sayer, but if you ever have to use that helmet, those things will carve your eyeballs out.

PULEEZ remove them. I've crashed too many helmets to keep my mouth shut on this one.

Try using a strip-type fresnel lens that's attached directly to the bottom of the shield.

Of course, YMMV. I wear blue jeans most of the time.

 

[Toecutter]

I'll shoot my eye out?

Are these motorcycle things dangerous?

Anybody wanna buy one?

 

[C&C]

Pretty neat solution 'Toe', but be careful; looks omonously similar to the "Optigrab", and you know how that turned out...... snerk.

 

[Curious in CT]

Try using a strip-type fresnel lens that's attached directly to the bottom of the shield.

Where could I find something like that?

 

[2WheelTiger]

I've just been looking.. and will continue to look because I can't find anything with a long focal length in a strip shape.

BUT, I came up with two options right off the bat. The first one is THIS. Somebody here is gonna fab a windshield!

The second one might really solve the problem if you put this on top of a thin sheet of plexi with your map under both. Here it is.

Go to to https://www.sciplus.com and search "fresnel".

 

[madmike2]

Couldn't you use THESE stick on magnifiers?

They're small, but they might work.

 

[Toecutter]

I also have a pair of clear-lensed Oakleys, which I'll use for dimly-lit days and at night for eye protection, which is always a good idea for riding. I have to keep my visor closed, due to possible bee intrusion :swoon: , but redundancy in eye protection is usually a good thing.

Couldn't you use THESE stick on magnifiers?
They're small, but they might work.

Not sure how good those would be, due to the angle of the shield and the size of the lens. Somebody get some and report back!

You could always get enough of those for all the glasses you wear inside the helmet.

 

[madmike2]

I also have a pair of clear-lensed Oakleys, which I'll use for dimly-lit days and at night for eye protection, which is always a good idea for riding. I have to keep my visor closed, due to possible bee intrusion :swoon: , but redundancy in eye protection is usually a good thing.

Couldn't you use THESE stick on magnifiers?
They're small, but they might work.

Not sure how good those would be, due to the angle of the shield and the size of the lens. Somebody get some and report back!

You could always get enough of those for all the glasses you wear inside the helmet.

Bob, I think I have 1 or 2 of those I ordered some time ago. (Yes...I just went and found them). They're 1.50 strength. If you want to experiment with them PM your address and I'll send them to you.

 

[Toecutter]

You'll have PM! Thanks!!!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Toe, I hate to be the nay-sayer, but if you ever have to use that helmet, those things will carve your eyeballs out.
PULEEZ remove them. I've crashed too many helmets to keep my mouth shut on this one.

Try using a strip-type fresnel lens that's attached directly to the bottom of the shield.

Of course, YMMV. I wear blue jeans most of the time.

Good point, but what about those who wear glasses while riding??...sometimes ya just don't have a choice.

BTW, searched fresnel...

The Mother Of All Fresnel Lenses

It came from either outer space, or a projection TV. Our largest Fresnel lens measures 49-1/8" x 37-1/8" x 1/16" thick, with a 42" focal length. Build your own lighthouse or projection TV, teach optical properties to students, or just turn your 21-inch model into one with a tavern-size picture. Held in the sun, the lens will concentrate rays enough to cook eggs or torch lumber. And, under adult supervision in the parking lot, employees of a certain un-named scientific and surplus purveyor actually melted pennies in seconds. Extremely cool and done strictly, we assure you, to determine the lens's focal length. Do not, we shouldn't have to remind you, store this puppy in direct sunlight. Or let the underage or under-mature sneak it into the sunlight.

:dribble: Sometimes the cure can be worse than the disease eh?

Note sure I want my face cooked by the fresnel when heading west into the afternoon sun! :blink:

 

[madmike2]

<major snippage>Held in the sun, the lens will concentrate rays enough to cook eggs or torch lumber.... And, under adult supervision in the parking lot, employees of a certain un-named scientific and surplus purveyor actually melted pennies in seconds. Extremely cool and done strictly, we assure you, to determine the lens's focal length. Do not, we shouldn't have to remind you, store this puppy in direct sunlight. Or let the underage or under-mature sneak it into the sunlight.
:dribble: Sometimes the cure can be worse than the disease eh?

Note sure I want my face cooked by the fresnel when heading west into the afternoon sun! :blink:

Two lifetimes ago I worked "parts" at an RV dealership. We sold fresnel "wide angle" lenses to help motorhome pilots see behind them (A loooong time before the current video camera technology ws available). There were reports of bad happenings from the concentration of the sun's rays.

I've never had an incident or problem with my magnifiying glasses, but I can see the potential if the magnifiers were on the face shield. Probably not a good idea to leave it on your seat with the shield raised.....